


Timing Is Everything

by NellyHarrison



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Kidnapping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-30
Updated: 2013-12-30
Packaged: 2018-01-06 19:26:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1110630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NellyHarrison/pseuds/NellyHarrison
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based off of an idea circulating Tumblr.  In a world where humans have timers that count down until you meet your soul mate, what happens when a billionaire vigilante and a quirky tech genius discover their soul mates have been there all along?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Timing Is Everything

**Author's Note:**

> Alright guys, I've been talking about this for a few days, and I finally finished it. There's a bit of violence, a lot of fluff, and a bunch of angst, but I hope you guys like it. No beta so mistakes are my own. Enjoy!

Humans have been changing since the beginning of time. We've learned how to walk on two feet, use our opposable thumbs to create such wonders as fire and shelter, and developed timers on our wrists that count down to meeting our soul mate. This last one, as odd as it sounds, has brought severe change to the world. Because of the timer, people don't waste time dating as often and instead focus on their careers. Several revolutionary discovers have been made by people since the timers started appearing on people's wrists. Of course, there are a few conflicts. Some people's clocks are broken at birth and require surgery to fix them, some clocks go off at an early age or moments from death. Plus, there's the obvious problem that comes when a person's timer goes off while on a very public place filled with people. These are a few of the worries Felicity Smoak has had since she learned the truth of the strange numbers on her wrist.

When she was a child, the numbers were just there. As she got older, she began asking questions, but her parents assured her that when the time came, she would know what the numbers meant. At the age of fourteen, her best friend's timer went off when she sat next to a boy they'd known since kindergarten, and Felicity practically begged her parents to tell her what it meant. Hearing the truth had been a bit jarring. She had a million questions, but in the end, all she could feel was relief. Sure, her number was still large, but it was counting down, and her soul mate was out there somewhere.

Like most teenagers, Felicity didn't necessarily let her timer keep her from indulging in flings and crushes. She went through high school with a few short-lived boyfriends and the occasional date. Once she got to college, she found that more and more people were meeting their soul mates, and Felicity felt more and more alone. Her time was still counting down, but what if it was lying? What if she never found the one? Eventually, as her focus on her studies took over her life, she slowly stopped looking at her timer. She had to have faith that when the right time came, her timer would go off and she would find her soul mate.

Graduating from MIT summa cum laude at the age of 20 had been her greatest achievement, and she was incredibly proud of herself. This achievement had only been shadowed when she became the youngest IT specialist at Queen Consolidated, one of the most prestigious companies in Starling City. At least that was what she had thought when she had been hired. It turned out that being an IT specialist basically meant retrieving accidentally deleted emails and telling people to "turn it off and on again" all day. Not to mention, she worked with a complete slacker as a supervisor who would rather spend his time looking at porn than do actual work. The brunt of the heavy work in the department fell on her shoulders, and she spent most days working until six or seven at night.

The day Oliver Queen walked up to her cubicle with a bullet-ridden laptop had changed her life. His lies were paper thin, but she trusted him, and knew that whatever reason he had for lying, it was a good one. She helped him with whatever he asked, and the day he popped up from the back seat of her Mini Cooper, everything fell into place. The team she, Oliver, and John Diggle formed was a unique one. They were all incredibly different, but their differences helped make them so strong. Oliver had the brute strength and experience, John had the medical and military knowledge, and she could hack anything and everything while bringing morality to the team.

They'd been through a lot, the three of them. Jewel thieves, psychotic drug lords, hired snipers, and of course Oliver's crazy ex-girlfriend. Through it all, they'd been a team, and Felicity liked the balance. Unfortunately, over time, she'd found that her feelings for one of the team members had strayed from simply platonic. She'd deny it if she was ever asked, but she'd fallen for Oliver. She knew better, of course. There was still the timer on her wrist, which she ignored for the sole reason of wanting to be surprised. Plus, she was rather certain that if Oliver was meant to be her soul mate, her wrist would have flashed six zeros when she met him. Her hope was that when she met her soul mate and the timer went off, she would have no trouble getting over Oliver, but the more she got to know him, the more doubtful she became of that thought.

It was a slow night in the Arrow Cave. Diggle had gone home early to be with Lyla (their timers had gone off when they reconnected in Russia and they were to be married that following summer), leaving Oliver and Felicity alone. The former was shooting tennis balls in the training room while she was working through a large piece of code in order to run a search on their latest target. Just as she'd finished sorting through the code and had begun entering the information on the suspicious businessman, she heard it.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Her eyes flew open and she looked down to see her wrist flashing 00:00:00. She looked up at the door of the lair, thinking maybe someone had come in, but then the same sound came from behind her.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Her head shot around and she saw Oliver looking down at his wrist, his eyebrows furrowed with confusion. "Felicity..." he started, looking over at her and seeing her lift her wrist to show her matching run-out timer.

"Surprise?" she breathed out, offering a shy, sweet smile, her eyes expressing her shock.

"Surprise," he repeated, putting his bow aside and walking closer. She stood up and watched him as he approached, her hand reaching out to hold his wrist as her thumb ran along his timer.

"Are you disappointed?" she questioned softly, looking up at him to see him staring at her own wrist. "I-I mean, I'm not. I was actually kind of hoping it was you, I just... Are you disappointed?"

Oliver looked up at her, his expression still one of shock and slight confusion. Then his hand was reaching up and cupping her cheek. "Felicity," he spoke, his thumb rubbing along her cheek. She was expecting him to let her down easily, tell her that the timers must have made a mistake, that he was in love with Laurel and that she was just his friend. But then his lips were slanting over hers, and a small squeak was escaping her as her hand tightened around his wrist while the other gripped his bicep. When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers, both of their hearts pounding in their chests. "There is no one I would rather have as my soul mate," he told her, her eyes opening to see his looking into hers.

"B-But what about Laurel," she asked, remembering how close the two had been. For the longest time, she thought that when they reconnected, their timers would run out together.

"Felicity, if Laurel and I were meant to be, our timers would have run out a long time ago. We're not meant for each other. You and I are soul mates, and I couldn't be happier," he assured her, a soft smile brushing his lips.

"Good... Yeah, that's good," she told him, laughing softly before leaning up to kiss him again, her hand moving to cup the back of his neck.

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Despite Oliver's pleas, Felicity decided the two should not celebrate this discovery by rushing to the Queen mansion and spending the night in his room. She did tell him that she'd be a bit more willing after their first date, which he planned for the next night and assured her would make up for all of their wasted time. The next day, after Felicity spent the night having dreams about Oliver (not that she hadn't had dreams about him before), she woke up and got ready for her day. When she exited her building, she was surprised to see Diggle and Oliver waiting with the car.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, smiling softly. Oliver pulled her to him, a soft blush flooding her cheeks as she looked over at Diggle who just gave her a wink before heading around to the driver's side and slipping into the car. "I take it you told him?"

"You didn't expect me to keep this information to myself, do you? Thea knows too, but she said she'd keep it a secret until we got the chance to tell my mom and talk to PR," he explained before leaning forward and giving her a slow, sweet kiss.

"Mmm I could get used to that," she told him, smiling up at him. "Is all of that really necessary? The whole PR thing?" she wondered, worrying her bottom lip.

His thumb reached up and pulled her lip from her teeth, than ran along it before cupping her cheek. "It's better that we come out with it up front so people don't make assumptions about us. I don't want you to be cast in a bad light or for people to think you're just some girl. I want them to know the truth. That you're my soul mate and I'm looking forward to spending every day with you by my side."

His words sent chills down her spine and her eyes fluttered closed as she rested her forehead against his. "If having press conference means you talking to me like that every day, then I am all for it," she told him, a smile growing on her lips as she heard his low chuckle. "We should get to work. I might be your soul mate but I'm still your EA." With that, she pulled away and scooted into the car, smiling as he slid in next to her and took her hand in his.

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When they got into the office, Felicity had scheduled an appointment with the PR department for later that afternoon. She also called Mrs. Queen and arranged for her to meet Oliver for lunch. She decided it was best to leave her attendance out of the call so as not to cause confusion. Oliver had a meeting with the finance department first thing, so she wouldn't be able to see him until it was time to go to their lunch with his mother. As she waited, she sent an email to her mom telling her she was going to call her later that evening. It was better for her to find out from her than read about it in the papers. Just as she had hit send, she heard the click-clack of heels coming towards her. Lifting her head, she watched as Isabel Rochev walked into the office.

"May I help you, Ms. Rochev?" she asked, standing from her desk and offering a polite smile.

"Yes, clear Oliver's schedule for three to five this afternoon," the woman snapped out, turning to leave.

"He's already booked at that time!" Felicity called out, causing her to turn and look at her with a quirked eyebrow. "Um, he has a meeting with the PR department."

"That's impossible. He would have nothing to meet with the PR department that he wouldn't have already run past me," Isabel stated matter-of-factly. "It must be a mistake."

"It's not," she assured her, squaring her shoulders. "He needs to discuss a personal matter and how to handle releasing it to the public. It has nothing to do with you."

Isabel visibly bristled at her statement, glaring a bit before shaking her head. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it can wait for another day. Oliver and I need to have time, _just the two of us_ ," she spoke, her voice dropping and speaking slower at the last few words, insinuating much more than her words gave away. The very thought made Felicity's stomach clench and heart sink. "So clear his schedule." She turned to leave but came face to face with Oliver, his jaw locked in anger.

"Miss Smoak is right, Isabel. I am busy this afternoon. We will not be able to meet," he told her, moving past her and looking over at Felicity curiosly. She quickly offered him a small smile, even as her stomach still churned at the images Isabel had put in her head.

"Oh really? And what could be so important that you must meet with the PR department today?" Isabel snapped, her hands on her hips.

Without turning around and with his eyes still locked on Felicity, he spoke. "I need to announce that my timer has run out and I have found my soul mate." He walked over to Felicity who was smiling sweetly at him and wrapped his arm around her waist. "I'm sorry, Isabel, but we will have to reschedule," he told her, finally turning to his business partner to see her swallowing dryly and nodding before leaving, not saying a word. When he heard the elevator doors close, Oliver turned and wrapped his arm more fully around her and cupped her cheek. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "I'm fine... I really don't like her," she admitted, laughing softly.

"Don't worry, I don't either," he assured her, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. "We should go to lunch. Don't want to be late."

Felicity scrunched her nose, looking down at his chest and running her fingers along the lapel of his jacket. "What if she doesn't like me?" she asked, biting her lip slightly.

A finger lifted her chin and she locked eyes with him. "She will love you. I'm sure of it," he promised her, running his thumb along her chin. "You're my soul mate, Felicity. I'm never going to let anyone tear us apart."

She nodded, taking a deep breath and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before pulling away and grabbing her belongings. "Let's do this."

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Walking into the restaurant, Felicity felt like every nerve in her body was on edge. Her palms were sweating, her heart was racing, and her stomach was knotted uncomfortably. The hostess brought them to their table where Moira Queen, as elegant as ever, was sitting and looking at the wine menu.

"Relax," Oliver whispered in her ear as they arrived at the table, his hand on her lower back. "Hello mother. Sorry we're late. I had a bit of a scheduling issue with Isabel," he explained leaning down to kiss her cheek before holding the chair out for Felicity. Moira eyed her curiously but didn't make a comment as she sat down and offered a slightly forced smile.

"It's quite alright. I've only been here for a few minutes," she assured him. "I didn't know your secretary would be joining us. Miss Smoak, isn't it?"

"Yes, this is Felicity, and she's my executive assistant, not my secretary," Oliver corrected, flashing Felicity a small smile before turning back towards his mother. "She's here because we both have to tell you something."

A disappointed look took over Moira's face and she sighed softly, causing Felicity's eyebrows to knit together. "She's pregnant isn't she?" the matriarch asked, causing Felicity to set off on a coughing fit, her eyes bulging out of her head.

"What?" Oliver asked, his voice a little louder that expected. He cleared his voice and rubbed her back as she came down from her coughing fit. "Mom, she's not pregnant. She's my soul mate," he blurted out. Felicity looked over at him, gaping, only to be met with another one of his charming smiles. "Felicity's and my timers ran out when we were together. She's my soul mate, Mom," he repeated, reaching over and lacing his fingers with hers. Felicity's expression softened and she squeezed his hand, biting her lip slightly as she smiled.

There was a small silence between the three of them, but when the happy pair turned to look at the older woman, they were met with an equally happy expression. "You know, at first I was a bit surprised when you promoted Felicity as your EA. I thought she was just a pretty face, perhaps someone you were fooling around with. However, when I questioned Thea and Walter on the matter, they had nothing but high praise for you. They said that when Oliver was with you, he smiled brighter and was an overall better person," she told them, a breathy sigh escaping Felicity from her words. "I couldn't be happier for the two of you. Oliver, all I've ever wanted was your happiness, and if Felicity gives you that, then I'm thrilled," she assured him.

"You really mean that?" Felicity asked, her eyes darting to Oliver for a moment before looking back at his mother. "You're not upset it's me?"

Moira shook her head, a smile very similar to the one she had seen on Oliver multiple times in the past gracing her lips. "You are a bright, strong, and beautiful woman. I couldn't imagine a better person for my son."

Felicity looked over at Oliver with tears welling in her eyes, her happiness overwhelming her. He looked over at her with a sweet smile and reached over to brush away her first fallen tear. "I told you she'd love you," he whispered to her before giving her a quick kiss. He turned back to his mother and nodded. "Thank you, Mom. For being so accepting and happy... Even if you thought she was pregnant at first," he joked, the three of them all laughing.

"Now that that's settled, how about a nice lunch while I get to know you better, hm?" Moira suggested, smiling at Felicity before calling over the waitress.

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Lunch had gone perfectly, with smiles and laughter and a few of Felicity's usual rambles as Moira asked some more personal questions. The entire time, though, Oliver kept his hand in hers and ran his thumb along the back of her hand. When lunch had ended, they'd gotten into the car and drove back in comfortable silence. Diggle shot them a few looks as they sat in silence, but all Felicity did was give him small smiles. She was on cloud nine, and she didn't think anything could bring her down. She really should have known better.

"I-I don't think I understand," Felicity muttered, her eyes darting between the head of the PR department and Oliver. "You think it's hurtful to the Queen Consolidated image for Oliver and I to announce that we are soul mates?"

"You are Oliver's executive assistant. The company needs to maintain the proper image in order to continue to receive support from investors," he explained, keeping a stoic expression as his colleagues remained quiet.

"So investors will stop supporting the company just because I'm Oliver's soul mate? Don't you think they'll be more supportive now that Oliver can wipe the playboy image he once had away?" she wondered, looking at them with furrowed brows.

"People will think you are a gold digger. They will think you somehow made the timers go off at the same time to trap Oliver. Right now, Oliver needs to be a strong leader, and being involved with someone, even a soul mate, would diminish that image."

"I can't believe this!" she exclaimed, finally looking over at Oliver who had his jaw locked and his eyes locked on his hands. "Oliver, say something."

Oliver looked up and over at her, taking a deep breath. "Maybe we should keep it quiet for a while." Felicity felt like all of the air rushed from her lungs, her mouth falling open. "I just don't want to risk the fate and reputation of the company."

"So the company is more important than being with the person you're destined to be with?" she asked, shaking her head slightly. "What happened to not letting anyone tear us apart?" Her eyes welled up and she stood from her seat, grabbing her purse. "Do whatever you need to do. It seems my opinion doesn't matter anyways," she snapped, storming from the room. Diggle was standing outside of the conference room and called after her, but she couldn't hear him. Everything rushed past her in a blur as tears rolled down her cheeks. When she made it to the bathroom, she locked the door and slid down a wall until she was sitting against the floor, her hand covering her mouth as she cried. When she pulled her hand away, she saw the six zeros on her wrist mocking her.

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Deciding that she wasn't up for whatever date Oliver may have planned for them, Felicity headed home, grabbing some Chinese take out and two pints of ice cream on the way. Her eyes were tired from crying, and she felt completely drained. She still couldn't believe that Oliver had just given up like that. All of that talk of them sticking together and he broke his promise the second the slightest bit of trouble popped up. She knew she should understand. The company was his responsibility and if the company suffered because of something Oliver did, he'd never forgive himself. She wanted to be able to let it go, to tell him it was okay and that she was fine with keeping it a secret. But she wasn't fine with it. She knew it was selfish, but this was not something she could just sweep under the rug and keep hidden.

When she got to her building, she nodded at the manager at the desk and headed up to her apartment. However, when she got there, she noticed her door was not fully closed. Her heart began racing in her chest, and she put her belongings down on the ground before pulling out her phone and the small dagger Diggle insisted she carry with her. With her finger hovering over Oliver's number, she entered her apartment, immediately turning on the lights and looking around. A small gasp escaped her when she saw the destruction. It looked like a tornado had ripped through her apartment. Books were thrown around the room, chairs were overturned, her cabinets were all open with plates and technological equipment tossed to the ground. Luckily her apartment wasn't that large, so it didn't take long to see that no one was inside. Instead of calling Oliver, she scrolled up her contact list and tapped on Diggle's number. Ten minutes later, the bodyguard was at the door, pulling her into a quick hug before examining the apartment.

"Was anything taken?" he asked, moving her TV back where it belong and resetting a chair on its four legs.

"Not that I can see... I have a few family heirlooms, but they were all still locked in the safe in my closet. None of my devices were taken and I don't have anything that could link me to Arrow here," she explained, still a bit shaken.

"Then what was the point of breaking in?" he wondered, more to himself as he looked around.

"I don't know. I really have no idea," she spoke, looking over at him. "Should I stay in a hotel or something tonight?"

John ran a hand along the back of his neck before crossing his arms. "That might be a good idea," he stated, nodding. "Why don't you get a bag together and I'll drive you?" Felicity nodded and took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh as she looked around her apartment. "You're okay, Felicity. Tomorrow, we'll come back and I'll help you clean up. I'll get a new security system set up in here so you can feel safer. I won't let anything happen to you." She smiled softly and reached over to squeeze his arm before he left.

About five minutes later, she had a bag packed and was heading down to the lobby. She waved her goodbye to the manager and walked outside, furrowing her eyebrows when she didn't see the black town car that John drove out front. Looking around, she saw it parked down near an alley and shook her head before walking towards it. As she got closer, something felt off. Diggle would have parked out front, as it was the quickest and safest place. Why would he have parked so far? Just as she reached the car, she saw Diggle leaning over the steering wheel, his body limp and a bloody bump on his forehead. "John!" she called, rushing around to the other side and opening the door. All at once, she felt a sharp pain at the back of her head and fell into darkness.

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Her eyes slowly opened, blinking at the bright light that nearly blinded her. Her head was pounding, and when she went to raise a hand to it, she realized her hands were tied tightly behind her back. She tugged a few times, but it wouldn't give. Blinking a few more times, she was finally able to focus on her surroundings. It was a warehouse, the walls dirty and puddles of water dotting the ground. Nearby lay a few boxes, some pipes and wood laying beside them, and a laptop set atop one with a camera showing different places: her apartment complex, Queen Consolidated, the Queen Mansion, Verdant. Whoever had taken her knew who she was and that she was connected to Oliver. She only hoped that he or she didn't know everything concerning her and Oliver.

"Look who's awake," came an unfamiliar voice, and Felicity turned her head to see a stocky man in a suit come strolling up to her. "How's the head, sweetheart?"

"Who are you?" she asked, closing her eyes for a moment as a flash of pain shot through her head as she spoke.

"Who I am doesn't really matter. What really matters is who you are. Felicity Smoak. Former IT specialist at Queen Consolidated. Current executive assistant to Oliver Queen. But that's not all you are, is it?" the man asked, chuckling. "I noticed your timer's run out. I also saw through my fancy cameras here that Oliver's timer has run out too." He went and got the laptop, clicking a few keys before the shot of Oliver's office filled the screen. There she could see Oliver sitting at his desk, his lips turned down as he ran his thumb back and forth over his wrist. It made her heart clench, and she had to turn away and close her eyes to keep herself from crying. He didn't even know she was taken yet. "Now my question is why would he ever let you leave him if you two are soul mates?"

"What do you want with me?" Felicity bit out, ignoring his question and looking up at him with a steely expression. She had become stronger, and she refused to let this man break her emotionally.

Another low chuckle came from him as he went and put his laptop back. "You see, Oliver and I were old friends. Unfortunately, he made the mistake of getting the woman I loved killed. I think it's only fair that he knows what it feels like to lose the woman he loves," he told her, leaning down and smirking maliciously. "I'm afraid that means you are going to have to die. It's a shame really." His hand reached forward and caressed her cheek, his fingers trailing down and running through her hair as she tried to move away. "A beauty like you shouldn't be wasted... But that's the problem with revenge. Sometimes, you have to make sacrifices." Felicity swallowed dryly and closed her eyes, trying to remain calm even as her bottom lip trembled and she felt tears prick the back of her eyes. "I'll leave you alone for a while. Time to get your soul mate's attention," he stated, and she heard his footsteps grow fainter until a door slammed behind him.

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He shouldn't have let her go. He should have stood up to the PR executives and told them that he didn't care how coming out with the news about him and Felicity would affect the company. But he didn't. He sat silent and then let her go. Tonight was supposed to be their first date, but when she left the office, he had a feeling she wouldn't be joining him. So he stayed and worked on some projects that had been sitting on his desk until his eyes grew tired. Every now and then, he would pause and look down at his timer, the glowing 00:00:00 making his heart ache. He shouldn't have let her go. Shaking his head, he put the folders into his desk and went to grab his jacket. Maybe he could convince her to come out with him. Maybe they could fix this, and everything could go back to how they were that morning. _How had so much changed in just one day?_ he asked himself, sighing softly.

Just as he reached the lobby, he saw Quentin Lance storming in and walking right towards him. "Officer, can I help you with something?" he asked, his eyebrows knit in confusion.

"Felicity Smoak has been kidnapped," he stated, and it felt like the world stopped.

"What?" he bit out, anger and pain and confusion and a slew of other emotions coursing through him.

"Earlier this afternoon, her apartment had been broken into. However, instead of alerting the police, she called your bodyguard and driver, John Diggle. As Mr. Diggle tells it, he had gone down to bring the car out front when he had been hit across the head and knocked out. He woke up in his car, parked in an alley with Miss Smoak's belongings in the street beside his car. Her cell phone was inside, so we have no way of tracking her," he explained. "Mr. Diggle insisted I come and tell you as he has been brought to the hospital with a possible concussion."

Oliver felt like he couldn't breathe. His partner, his soul mate, his /love/ had been taken. She could be dead, and it would be all his fault. He should have stayed with her, made sure she was safe and cared for like she deserved to be. If she was dead, he didn't know if he would ever be able to forgive himself. "We need to find her."

"Oliver, I know she's your friend, but it would be best if you let the SCPD detectives handle this. They'll do everything they can to-"

"It won't be enough! You don't understand! She's not just my friend. She's my soul mate!" he shouted, lifting his wrist to show his run out timer. Quentin inhaled sharply through his nose and nodded, looking down for a moment. "Officer Lance, I know you don't like me very much, but I can't lose her. I don't know what I will do if anything happens to her," he admitted, the pain clear on his face.

"I will make sure she comes home safe, Oliver... Right now, the best thing for you to do is go home and stay by the phone. I will send an officer there and they will set up a monitor on your phone. If she's being held because of her connection to you, they may call for a ransom. You need to be home to accept the call," he explained, reaching forward and squeezing his shoulder. "We'll get her back," he promised, then turned and left. Oliver stood frozen in the lobby as he tried to steady his breathing, his heart pounding in his chest as all of the possible scenarios of what Felicity could be going through ran through his mind. When he managed to calm himself, he left QC and began his journey home.

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Thea was pacing as Moira sat at the kitchen table, nursing a cup of tea when Oliver entered the large house. "Ollie?" his sister called out, rushing to him and throwing her arms around him. "I'm so sorry. Mr. Diggle called and told us what happened. He said he was going to come here as soon as he was let out of the hospital... Who could have done this to her, Ollie?" she asked, her eyes wide and expressive. He didn't know when, but Thea and Felicity had become friends, and she was just as upset over her disappearance as he was. Neither of them wanted to lose the quirky blonde, and he could only pray that they didn't have to.

"I know as much as you do, Speedy," he told her, sighing as he went to sit across from his mother. When she outstretched her hand, he took it and shot her a forced but grateful smile. "Officer Lance is doing what he can to help. I... I don't really know what to do."

"She'll be okay, Oliver," Moira said, her voice steady but hopeful. "Felicity is stronger than most think. She'll make it home to you."

Oliver nodded and muttered a soft, "Thank you," then stood and ran his hand over his head. "Someone from the SCPD will be here soon to set up a monitor on our phone. Until then, all we can do-" He stopped, his eyes locking on the news as the feed changed. He grabbed the remote and turned up the volume, a familiar voice coming through the speakers.

"Good evening, Starling City," the voice said, the camera pointed at him, his voice muffled a bit as his face was hidden by his black and orange mask. "Some of you may know this woman," he continued, turning the camera around and showing Felicity tied to a chair. Her clothes were dirty and she looked weak, a clear injury on her head. Oliver heard a soft gasp beside him from Thea and his mother's shocked inhale. "For those that don't, this is Felicity Smoak. Many know her as the beautiful blonde always at Oliver Queen's side. Only a few know that she's more than just his secretary." The camera jostled a little as Slade got closer to her, moving around her and focusing the camera on her exposed wrist. "She is also his soulmate. Well, she is for now," he commented, laughing evilly. "Now I speak to Oliver Queen. If you want your precious Felicity to live, you will find me within the hour. If not... Well, the world can do without one blonde." He lifted a clock to show on the camera and started the timer. 60:00. 59:59. 59:58. 59:57. "Time is ticking Oliver."

When the feed went dead, Oliver was frozen. Slade had Felicity, and while he promised to keep her alive if he came, he knew that he was lying. He thought he had killed his once-ally. He thought he was dead on that island, but he was wrong. And now he was going to pay for the choice he made so many years ago. More importantly, Felicity was going to pay for his choice.

"Oliver!" He shook his head and looked at Thea, who was staring at him incredulously. She must have called his name a few times. Before she could speak again, he was rushing from the house. "Ollie, no! Come back!!" But he couldn't. He was on the clock, and if he didn't find Felicity in time, there would be nothing else he could do. He would have to fight Slade, and hope to God that he could manage to save Felicity.

When he rushed outside, he saw Diggle waiting with the car. "Get in!" he shouted through the open passenger's window, and Oliver followed his demand. They drove off, his chest pounding and his breathing coming out ragged. "I was already on my way when the radio station played the audio. Who exactly are we dealing with here, Oliver?"

Oliver kept his eyes set forward, the anger rippling through him. "His name is Slade Wilson. We were together on the island. He was my friend, my ally... At least at first," he explained, running his sweating palms on his pants. "The man that had wanted the Mirakuru, Dr. Ivo, took Sara, Shado and I hostage after we thought Slade had died after taking the Mirakuru. He made me choose which one to save, Sara or Shado. When I jumped in front of Sara, he killed Shado. Slade found us. Somehow, he had survived. When he saw Shado was dead, he became enraged. He had loved her. I thought I had killed him on the island, Digg... He took Felicity to kill her and make me feel the same pain I made him feel," he finished, looking down at his hands. "This is my fault."

Diggle sighed beside him, knowing that fighting Oliver on this was useless. Even if he did point out that it wasn't his fault that Shado had died and that it was Slade's fault Felicity was in this position, he knew he wouldn't listen. "We will get her back, Oliver. We won't let him take her away from us," he finally said, knowing that was all he could say. "How are we going to find him? Normally I'd suggest tracing back the feed that had taken over the news, but I don't think that's something either of us can do." A sharp pang ripped through Oliver when he was reminded of how important Felicity had become to the team.

"I'm going to call Office Lance and hope he can trace the feed," he decided, pulling out the Arrow phone and dialing the number. When Quentin picked up, he spoke, his voice coming out altered on the other end. "Officer Lance. I need you to trace the feed and get me the address now."

"They're tracing it now," he told him, pausing for a moment. "I was kind of expecting Oliver Queen to call, seeing as she's his soul mate. It's a bit interesting how you managed to call me first." Oliver internally cursed, wishing he had thought this through. If the SCPD went to his house and found him gone, and then Arrow saved Felicity, it would cause questions. "I promised you we'd find her. I had my suspicions before, but I'm kind of glad it's you," Quentin stated, causing Oliver's eyebrows to rise.

Pulling the phone away, he removed the voice undulating app. "So you know it's me. I assume you know that if you tell anyone, I will have to remove you from the situation."

"Your secret is safe with me," the former detective promised. "They got an address. 10246 Wharf. I will enter a different one and send them in another direction to give you the time you need. If you need backup, you know how to reach me. Good luck," he sent off before hanging up.

"10246 Wharf. Go!"

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Diggle had enough foresight to put Oliver's suit in the car, which Oliver quickly changed into when they arrived at the address. They believed the best way to go about this was finding a higher entrance and sneaking in so they could survey the situation. However, when they arrived, they realized there was one entrance: right through the front door.

"You can't come in with me," Oliver stated, steeling himself.

"What are you talking about Oliver? You're not going in there alone."

"This is between me and Slade... I need to go in alone. If he sees you come in with me, he'll act without thinking. I need to try to convince him to let Felicity go. I'm going to try to turn him around or possibly fight him. Stay near the door and keep an ear on the comms. If you hear fighting or I say something about turning it around, you come in and get Felicity out. She's our goal. You get her and you leave, got it?"

"You want me to leave you there, even if that means he kills you," Diggle states, knowing there's not a question. He'd learned how to read Oliver long ago.

Oliver nodded, letting out a sigh. "If I don't make it out, tell her I love her. Tell her I'm sorry for not standing up for us, that I'm sorry things couldn't be different."

Diggle reached over and pat his back, nodding. There were no words needed. With one last look at his partner, Oliver entered the warehouse, his eyes immediately locking on Felicity.

"Well, well, well. I'm impressed. I was worried you wouldn't get here in time. Seems you really do care about this girl," Slade mused, walking towards Felicity. "She's a pretty little thing, Oliver. You always did have such luck with the ladies."

Felicity flinched when he moved his hand along her cheek, and Oliver knocked an arrow, growling slightly. "Let her go, Slade. Your problem is with me. Not her."

"My problem is with you, but I'm afraid I can't let her go. You had a choice back then. And you chose wrong. Now I'm making the choice for you and giving you exactly what you deserve," he sneered, moving his grip to tighten around Felicity's neck, a choked cry coming from her. "How should she die, Oliver? Strangulation? Drowning? Or maybe she should die like Shado did. A bullet to the head." When he went to grab a gun from behind his back, Oliver shot his hand and charged, plowing him to the ground and punching him across the face. Slade laughed and shoved Oliver away, sending him a few feet. He ripped the arrow from his hand and tossed it aside. "Are we really going to play this game again, Oliver? You've tried to kill me before, and you failed. What makes you think you won't fail again?"

Oliver stood up, a small smirk flashing across his lips when he realized he was facing the door, and Slade's back was to it, making it easy for Diggle to sneak it. "Because I have something you don't have," he told him.

"Oh really? And what's that?" he asked, his chest heaving with adrenaline as he waited to attack.

"Friends."

With that, Diggle shot him, over and over again, sending him back but not killing him. Oliver quickly moved over and untied Felicity, cupping her cheek to make sure she was still alive before turning his attention back to Slade. He pulled the constraint arrows he'd used before and shot them, making Slade's legs tie together and sending him to the ground. He shot a few more that kept him down and then did what he knew he had to do. Grabbing a nearby pipe, he took it and stabbed it into his heart, his anger making the sounds around him disappear. He didn't hear Slade's screams of pain, or Diggle's shouts to stop. All he could do was dig the pipe deeper and deeper, blood spilling out of him until he stopped moving. His chest was heaving as he stepped away, looking down at the man he once called friend.

"Oliver." He turned and saw Felicity standing with Diggle's arm around her waist, supporting her. Oliver looked down at Slade once more, then at his hands and sighed. Once again, he'd broken his promise to Tommy, but he knew he had done the right thing. Slade could not be contained, and he would never let go of his vendetta. Plus, he had hurt Felicity. He had threatened her life, and a man like that didn't deserve to live. Taking a deep breath, he reached into his pocket and pulled out some gasoline, pouring it on top of the man and flicking on a lighter before tossing it onto the body. As he watched the body burn, he felt her fragile hand slip into his, squeezing his tightly. "Take me home, Oliver," she spoke in a soft tone. He looked down at her and nodded, wrapping his arm around her and leading them from the warehouse.

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"Police report that they had initially tracked the wrong address, but when the mistake was corrected, the man they suspect had kidnapped Felicity Smoak was already dead. When asked about the ordeal, Smoak only commented that her kidnapper had been distraught over the loss of his love and took it out on her and Oliver Queen. She had no comment on who had saved her and killed her kidnapper, but we suspect it was the work of the Arrow. Another citizen saved by Starling City's hero."

Felicity turned the television off and laid her head on Oliver's shoulder, his arm wrapping around her tightly. They were in his bed, the door to his bedroom locked as they laid in each other's arms. "Did you hear that?" she asked, looking up at him with a soft smile.

"Hear what?" he questioned, his fingers running up and down her upper arm.

"'Starling City's hero'," she repeated, reaching up to cup his cheek. "You're a hero."

Oliver shook his head at her, laying his head against hers and sighing softly while his fingers laced through hers and held them by his chest. "I'm not a hero. I just did what had to be done. I needed to make sure you were safe," he told her, kissing the top of her head.

She pulled their hands into her lap and traced his fingers, then lifted it to kiss his palm. "You're my hero," she whispered, looking back up at him. "I love you Oliver."

"I love you too, Felicity," he murmured back, his hand reaching down to turn her wrist over and trace the six numbers. "And I always will." She smiled softly and lifted her hand to hold his jaw gently, brushing her lips against his in a sweet kiss.

"Always," she repeated against his lips. They settled back against each other, their hearts beating in unison until they both fell asleep, peace and safety filling them as they laid in each other's arms. Their story wasn't always be a happy one, but through the good and the bad times, they had each other, and that was all that mattered.

**Author's Note:**

> What did you think? At first I wasn't sure whether I wanted it to be Slade, but it kept leading me in that direction, so I just went with it. I hope you liked it! Feedback is always welcome. Thanks for reading!


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